Assault Cannon
Typically referred to as simply "rifle", the Assault Cannon system is a weapons system in the Muv-Luv Unlimited/Alternative universes, developed exclusively for the use of Tactical Surface Fighters. Combining the properties of a sweeping weapon designed for a high rate of fire and the bombardment capabilities of a smoothbore cannon, the Assault Cannon is the heart of every TSF force in the fight against the BETA. In addition, most Assault Cannon systems allow the weapon to be fired while still on the TSF's back mount, preventing BETA forces from attacking from behind. Some mount systems allow the weapon to be pointed in front, making for a hail of firepower in any one direction. The ammunition used in all Assault Cannons are caseless 36mm for the chaingun and 120mm for the cannon, but the munitions they fire vary widely, from the tracer rounds mixed with the standard depleted-uranium-meshed chaingun rounds and the standard 120mm armor-piercing high-explosive warheads fired by the cannon, to rocket-boosted armor-piercing fin-stabalized sabot-discarding cannon rounds and even anti-BETA scattershot rounds. Type-87 Assault Cannon The Type-87 Assault Cannon is the main weapon of TSFs assigned to United Nations forces stationed in Japan, and the main gun fielded by the Imperial Japanese Army and Royal Guards. The gun's weapons systems can be separated into two components; an RG-36 36mm chaingun makes up the bulk of the weapon, with a removable GG-120 120mm cannon attachment on the top front of the Assault Cannon. The weapon with all ammunition magazines loaded carries 2000 36mm chaingun rounds and 6 120mm cannon rounds, and has been proven to improve the maneuverability of TSFs by way of its design, which does not concentrate all of its weight on any single point. The weapon's resemblance to the P90 can be said to be a hint at the friendly relations between Europe in general and Imperial Japan in the Unlimited/Alternative universes. Type-87 Support Assault Cannon A variant of the Type-87, the Support Assault Cannon is a Type-87 with its 120mm cannon attachment removed, and replaced by a scope system attachment with a longer barrel fitted over the 36mm chaingun barrel, presumably to improve the round's penetrating power. The Type-87 Support is usually relegated to pilots whose roles are to act as team sharpshooters or dedicated sniper personnel. The Royal Guards have been known to use a variant of the weapon where the longer barrel and the scope have had their relative positioning reversed. AMWS-21 Combat System The main weapons system of most American TSFs, the AMWS-21 is the latest Assault Cannon fielded by the United States. Incorporating a laser device, this allows a greater link with the TSF's onboard targeting computer, improving the weapon's accuracy. Like most Assault Cannons, the 120mm cannon attachment is modular and can be removed, although any prospective variants remain unseen so far. The weapon resembles the TAR-21 Tavor. WS-16 Assault Cannon The first generation of Assault Cannon systems fielded by the United States for the use of their F-4 Phantom TSFs, the WS-16 has seen various field upgrades. The most major of those were the leap from the WS-16A to WS-16B, where the chaingun caliber was increased from 20mm to 36mm, and the cannon caliber from 105mm to 120mm. Those specifications would later become the standard for all Assault Cannon systems later on. The final incarnation of the WS-series, the WS-16C, is a version with minor upgrades to keep its firepower relevant to the modern battlefield. While it is obsolete to the US military, the weapon is still in use with other national forces. A variant of the WS-16C exists in use with the East German military, where is it coded as the WSd-16C. TSF weapon WS-16 Assault Gun.jpg Type-82 Tactical Assault Cannon A modified version of the WS-series of Assault Cannons, the Type-82 has a shorter stock to prevent the gun from getting in the way during close-quarters combat. As a result, the weapon suffers from reduced accuracy and load balance. XAMWS-24 Advanced Multiple Weapon System A new Assault Cannon system, the XAMWS-24 is an experimental weapon used exclusively by the YF-23 Black Widow II during the units' flight and combat trials. The XAMWS-24 was notable for being equipped with a bayonet, as well as carrying 30% less chaingun ammunition in return for 20% more cannon ammunition. Like the YF-23, it never entered production. TSF Weapon XAMWS-24.jpg TSF Weapon XAMWS-24 v2.jpg A-97 Assault Cannon The first domestic Soviet Assault Cannon, the weapon was a simple redesign of the WS-16C provided to Soviet forces along with their F-4Rs. GWS-9 Assault Cannon The main armament of the European Union forces as well as United Nation forces stationed in Europe, the GWS-9 replaces the older WS-16C as the main weapons system of the EF-2000. The weapon boasts a 20% reduction in weight and size, and its internal systems are more reliable against wear-and-tear than the WS-16C. The weapon was designed with elements from the G-36. FWS-G1 Assault Cannon The main weapon of French TSF forces, the FWS-G1's performance against the GWS-9 is largely similar, being only slightly more compact. It was developed with data from the American AMWS-21. Mk.57 Squad Support Gun First entering service with European Union forces in 1997, the Mk. 57 is the strongest and most versatile support fire armament for TSFs fielded by the European nations since. It was developed as a need for a platform for highly-mobile support fire as opposed to traditional ground artillery units, which were all too vulnerable to BETA assault and ambushes as they did not possess the three-directional movement advantages the TSFs had. As part of the European Union's combat doctrine of an all-TSF first-strike force (freeing up their tanks and vehicles for safer defensive operations), the Mk. 57 allowed TSFs to provide their own cover fire with the Mk. 57; strategies could be focused more on speed and mobility, further enchancing the tactical advantages a TSF had. The weapon is also highly effective as a defensive armament, allowing TSFs to kill several times their worth in BETA, and were instrumental in the Defense of Britain. Intended for a wide variety of roles from crowd-control fire to pinpoint light artillery, the Mk. 57 uses a modular barrel attachment system to easily swap components in order to fire rounds with a caliber ranging from 57mm rounds to heavier 105mm, 120mm and even 220mm munitions. Popular with pilots who have personally used it in the heat of combat, the Mk. 57 has entered service in nearly all European Union nations and even overseas, with Imperial Japan adopting the weapon's use in 2002. The weapon bears a strong resemblance to the MG-3. GAU-8 Avenger Auxilary weapons system mounted on the A-10 Thunderbolt II, the weapon fires 36mm chaingun rounds and is a primary weapon for the A-10's usage when dealing with massed Tank-class BETA, or anything that isn't a herd of Destroyer-class. The Thunderbolt II carries two of these guns mounted on highly-flexible turning joints, making the machine an impressive specimen of superior firepower in all directions. Category:Hardware and Technology in Muv Luv Category:TSF Armaments Category:Tactics Category:TSF